Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist at Plan International

Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist at Plan International

Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist at Plan International 

Dar es Salaam

Job Description

Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Company: Plan International

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 80 countries.

BACKGROUND

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan has over 80 years’ experience and works in more than 75 countries across the world. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.

Plan International has been working in Tanzania since 1991. Our work supports marginalised children and youth, especially adolescent girls, to grow up physically and mentally healthy and ready to shape their future. We create an enabling environment and empower girls to be active drivers of change in realising their rights. We prioritise working with partners, and ensuring all of our work is evidence based.

Plan Tanzania has lunched new country strategy and its programme results framework to guide evidence based and quality programme delivery to communities. The programmes include development and humanitarians mainly Health (Maternal Neonatal Child Health, Sexual Reproductive Health and Nutrition), Education, Water and Sanitation (including Menstrual Hygiene Management), Youth Economic Empowerment, and Child Protection. These programmes are in in 16 districts within ten regions across the country – Dar es Salaam, Pwani, Mwanza, Geita, Rukwa, Dodoma, Morogoro, Lindi, Mtwara and Mara. MERL department including the proposed roles is responsible to monitor and evaluate effectiveness and results of the programmes/projects for all the thematic, to inform evidence-based programming and influencing work, and to be accountable to National offices, donors, Government of Tanzania, and national and local stakeholders we are working with.

role PURPOSE

The position holder for the role of M&E Specialist will support M&ERL technical support to all projects (grants and sponsorship funded),mainly in M&E design, planning, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and PMERL systems inputs and usage , and works closely with thematic leads, grants implementers, field officers, and all related M&E staff in the country office and PUs, including the provision of technical support to project staff, and staff of partner organizations in the areas of monitoring and evaluation. This position has no direct reports.

Dimensions of the Role

Supporting staff with technical high levels Results based monitoring and evaluation, High level analytical works both quantitative and qualitative, Results based reporting in alignment with country strategy and areas of global distinctiveness and donors’ requirements, and evaluation and research design and implementation, tracking of beneficiaries’ trends, and outcomes performance per each thematic over the years of implementation.

Typical Responsibilities – Key End Results of Position:

MERL design and contextualization

• Engage in evaluation and review consultancy bids as support to Procurement department and Head of MERL;
• Participate in processes of recruiting external project evaluators, including development of evaluation term of references, technical review of proposals, and supervision of their work as support to Procurement department and Head of MERL;
• Validate technical qualities of external evaluators and ensure engagement of competent evaluators for quality evaluations and reports
• Participate in all initial engagement of external consultants, ensure clarification of evaluation expectations, and supervise external evaluators to meet Plan MERL standards and project valuation objectives.
• Review External evaluation technical proposals, Inception reports, questionnaires for data collection, methodologies suggested for studies, and analytical frameworks to align with Plan and project results expectations.
• Contribute MERL aspects in proposal development, this is to work with Business development department in stakeholder consultations, review of past reports and learning, and development of results framework in alignment with country strategy
• Technically support individual M&E staff at PU in design of routine data collection tools based on the outputs indicators and ensure their usefulness and data gathering
• Support Programme team to contextualize AOGD package and support them extracting indicators and results statements to adopt in their annual work plan.
• Design annual Programme review of CSP and ensure new CSP framework in updated with quality data annually

MERL Planning and Implementation

• Work with Head of MERL in developing Country Results framework and M&E plans for all Programmes and projects in line with CSP and Global Strategy Results;
• Support in PU annual implementation plans through working with technical leads, PUMs and local communities to identify cultural and social norms that perpetuate inequalities between girls and boys, and map interventions of addressing them that will fit to the strategic priorities of the country strategic plan;
• Keep up to date on indicators, indicator definitions, and data collection tools used across projects so that they are aligned with Plan’s CSP, and government MIS where relevant;
• Develop tools as required for M&E, including coaching and providing capacity building to PUs and another projects.
• Lead beneficiaries’ trackers of all projects and programmes, ensure counting 100 million reason in accordance to MERL standards, and support partner staff on importance of production of sex-disaggregated data/ case studies/success stories

PMERL System and other Programme database

• Work with System and Data Management Manager and ensure PMERL system is updated with output data on monthly basis for outputs indicators and for reviewing Plan’s progress towards CSP targets;
• Lead Management and operationalization, and usage of new PMERL System, by monitoring and validation of quality Programmatic Quantitative data input in the PMERL
• Lead on usage and implementation of programmatic data to PMERL through Taro work mobile data collection from all the Programme
• Developing routine data collection and validation system and implementing data analyses for internal evaluations, and other strategies that optimize statistical efficiency and quality;
• Manages and lead functionals and usage of existing Programmatic reporting systems (i.e. DHIS2, MIS SAVIX, YES!ME etc.)

Analytical work and Data processing

• Digitalization of data collection tools, support data validation and cleansing;
• Conduct Quantitative data verification, analysis and processing for quality assurance and integrity
• Manipulate, analyses and interpret complex quantitative data sets relating to the programme’s AOGDs Data
• Definitions and Standards by all CSP Thematic
• Mine and analyze large datasets, draw valid inferences and present Quantitative data for further triangulation, analysis, and reporting
• Create data dashboards, graphs and visualizations for programmatic Quantitative data
• Identify, analyze, and interpret trends or patterns in complex Quantitative data sets;
• Filter and “clean” Quantitative data by reviewing raw data to locate and correct code problems
• Manage data processing and analyzing data collected via assessments / surveys and support Head of MERL to provide recommendations and learning based upon analysis of results;

M&E Capacity Building

• Provide training assistance to PUs and partner staff in Results based programming and monitoring and evaluation approaches to inform projects’ routine results, and to indicate how Plan’s programmes contribute in shifting of community values and norms to promote child rights/ gender equality
• Support Project Coordinators and CDFs (frontline workers) with development of tools for participatory approaches, including with children.

Documentation and Reporting

• Lead on documentation of learning that explains Plan’s successes in promoting children, especially girls’ social position, power, and their access to resources/services.
• Work with MER team and project staff in analysis of indicators performance of grants projects and development of dissemination package, and facilitate to programmes
• Assist with timely and high-quality narrative reporting to donors (monthly, quarterly, and final) in conjunction with the thematic Sector Heads;
• Support timely and quality development of all quarterly and annual corporate reports on behalf of the Head of MER/ Director of Programmes.

Key relationships

Internal (High)

• The position reports to Head of MERL.
• This position will work closely with M&E staff member across all Pus/Programmes/projects.
• Head of programmes/thematic/BD/Communication and advocacy

External (Low)

• Implementing partners (for DQA and capacity building)
• External Consultants
• Functional networks within Plan

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

• Gained through education, training, & experience

Required experience and Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in International Development or another relevant field preferred.
• More than 5 years of relevant field-based M&E experience, including significant time in monitoring and evaluation for development, research experience is an asset.
• Minimum of 5 years of providing training, and in a supervisory and/or management role, in monitoring and evaluation to all levels of stakeholders;
• Experiences in M&E of Education projects, Child protection, projects, and VSLA projects, and youth empowerment Projects.
• Ability to use cost effective and online applications for mobile data collection and data management
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability and willingness to travel within the supported districts
• This position requires high computer literacy with a full knowledge of office applications, i.e. MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Internet and statistical packages such as SPSS, STATA, Epi Info and others related packages.
• Fluent written and spoken English language skills required.
• Experience with rights based participatory MER approaches including social audits.

Knowledge

• In-depth knowledge of the M&E and preferably minimum 5 years of experience in Non-profit making organisation
  Skills

Data Analytical and strategic planning

• Excellent communication skills appropriate to the audience, particularly English language skills (oral /written)
• Proficient computer skills and use of data analytical applications
• Ability to work under multidisciplinary and multicultural environment

Behaviours

• Hardworking with capacity to work independently with minimum supervision
• Honest, integrity, open and transparent personality.

Team player

• Working towards achieving a team goal
• Be able to Respect all groups of people in the community and culturally sensitive
• Persuasive and able to work with different cultural settings
• Motivated, energetic and strives to develop and support others
  Result oriented
• Working for the best interest of the organisation and children
• Appreciate of child rights and gender equality

Desirable

• Working with the project team and ensure project results are achieved timely without compromising with quality
• Good command over conflict resolution while maintaining important relationships: Capability to resolve conflicts
• Plan and schedule own work, interpreting instructions and selecting appropriate methods/tools for delivery.
• Operate in a high-pressure deadline-driven environment with professionalism
• Managing donor grants with strict reporting deadlines

We are open and accountable

• Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
• Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
• Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
• Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
• Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

• Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
• Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
• Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
• Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

Physical Environment

May be “typical office environment”; note if heavy lifting, climbing, excess travel, etc.
Typical office environment with at least 50% of travel to programme locations.

Level of contact with children

Low contact: Very limited contact or interaction with Children during reflection meetings, evaluations, and research

Location: Dar es Salaam

Reports to: Head of MER

Grade: D1

Closing Date: 17th February, 2023

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.

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